Russia stops China's gold rush in Olympic diving

Ilya Zakharov of Russia dives during the men's 3-meter springboard diving final at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. Zakharov won the gold medal in the event. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
— AP

Ilya Zakharov of Russia dives during the men's 3-meter springboard diving final at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. Zakharov won the gold medal in the event. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
/ AP

Knowing the gold had slipped away, Qin climbed out of the pool and walked over to the wall. He leaned against it and began crying while getting a hug from a woman with China's team.

"My coach said I did pretty well and my teammates were comforting me," he said.

Qin managed a smile on the medals podium, while He smirked slightly after the bronze was hung around his neck.

"It is not good but this is normal because there always has to be a winner and a loser," He said. "You never want to lose in the Olympics. It was a pity that I did."

Zakharov grinned and waved at his family wearing white "Ilya" T-shirts in the stands.

China won 7 of 8 gold medals four years ago in Beijing, losing only the men's 10-meter. The Chinese won all eight golds at last year's world championships in Shanghai.

"Whether they sweep or not, that's not what the Olympics is all about," said American Troy Dumais, who was fifth. "It's enjoying the love to do what you do. They make it a job, I make it a hobby. I'm not going to retire off of diving, it's possible that they can."

Dumais, who was third through the first two rounds, had his best showing in an individual event in four Olympics. He won a bronze medal on 3-meter synchro in London.

"I put everything on the line, I enjoyed the moment and that's all you can ask for," he said. "My fourth and fifth dive I know I can do better than that. But that doesn't matter. What matters is I did six consistent dives. I was in the ballgame. I just came up a little short."

Two-time silver medalist Alexandre Despatie of Canada was 11th barely a month after hitting his head on the board in Spain and needing surgery to close a gash that extended from ear to ear. He landed on his face on his last dive.

"My position on the board wasn't good when I started," he said. "It has been a very tough year for me."

Chris Mears of Britain, who was ninth, was the only other diver to score more than 100 points in the final. He totaled a career-best 100.70 for his last dive, the first time a British diver topped triple-digits on the springboard. The home crowd broke into raucous cheers, with Mears waving and signaling thumbs-up while smiling broadly.

"A brilliant way to end," he said. "I really went for it on the start, gave myself the opportunity on the end and managed to bang a little finish on it. I'm pretty impressed with that."

Mears nearly died in 2009, when he ruptured his spleen during training and was given a 5 percent chance of surviving surgery to remove it. He then had a seizure and spent three days in a coma.

"From what I've come from to be here, stood in front of a home crowd as well, is just a bit phenomenal," he said.